Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698932449017.pdf (Namibia)
TENTH SESSION, FIFTH NATIONAL COUNCIL MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS Tuesday, 21 November 2017 (09:30 - 13:00) No.23 - 2017 The Council met pursuant to adjournment.

1.0 The Chairperson took the Chair.

2.0 The Chairperson recited the Prayer and Affirmation.

3.0 OPENING STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRPERSON Hon.

Mensah-Williams, Chairperson of the National Council made a Statement to the House at the opening of the Tenth Session of the 5th National Council on 21 November 2017.
The Statement is reproduced hereunder: “HONOURABLE BERNARD SONGA SIBALATANI, VICE-CHAIRPERSON OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL; HONOURABLE LEBBIUS TOBIAS, CHIEF WHIP OF THE RULING PARTY IN THE NATIONAL COUNCIL; HONOURABLE HILMA NICANOR, DEPUTY MINISTER OF VETERANS AFFAIRS & MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL; -40- HONOURABLES WHIPS OF THE OPPOSITION PARTIES IN THE NATIONAL COUNCIL; HONOURABLE MEMBERS; SECRETARY TO THE NATIONAL COUNCIL AND STAFF MEMBERS; MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES.
Welcome back honourable members from all the corners of our beautiful country.

We thank the Almighty God for keeping us safe once again during our journeys to Windhoek and ask for him to grant us wisdom over the next weeks or so.

With the powers vested in us in terms of Chapter 8 of the Constitution of the Republic of Namibia; we have gathered once again to fulfill our constitutional mandate as the legislative branch of the State.
Ladies and gentlemen, From today until November the 30th, we will review the bills that have been passed and referred to us by the National Assembly.

Among others, this august house will consider the Property Valuers Profession Amendment Bill, Bill No.18 of 2016; and the Combating of Trafficking in Persons Bill, Bill No.14 of 2017.

In addition, this august house will also consider a number of reports by standing committees that were hard at work during the intervening time.
I would like to make particular mention of the report on ‘Human-Wildlife Conflict’ which is going to be tabled by the Standing Committee on Habitat following nationwide consultations.

Recent news reports of a pride of lions which killed more than 200 small livestock in the Kunene Region show what a serious and urgent matter this is.

You will all agree with me that conflict between people and wild animals is one of the main threats to the continued survival of our precious wild animals.
I believe, therefore, that if solutions to conflicts are not adequate, local support for the Government’s conservation efforts will decline.

The last thing we want is a situation in which people start to take the law into their own hands.

Hence, honourable members, we must strike a balance between the needs of the farmers and those of the conservationists.
-41- Ladies and gentlemen, You may recall that during our last seating, the National Assembly had referred a number of the Auditor General’s audit reports on regional and local authorities to this house for scrutiny.

The National Council is obligated by law to scrutinize these reports within the year it received them.
Since our last seating in May, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts and Economy has extensively dissected the reports and called regional councils and local authorities to account for their actions.

The goal of scrutinizing of to generate recommendations for improving public service delivery and to ensure accountability and transparency in the utilization of public funds.
the Auditor General’s audit reports is The scrutiny of the reports will further indicate to the public how regional and local authorities performed during the fiscal periods under review.

Honourable Members, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the chairpersons of standing committees and the entire staff compliment for ensuring that all the reports that were due are indeed ready for tabling as planned.
Honourable Members, I would like to call upon you to ensure that the National Council aligns itself with the objectives of both the Harambee Prosperity Plan, the National Development Plan 5, as well Vision 2030.

Honourable Members, With these few words, I would like to invite members of the public to follow the proceedings in the house; preferably in person in the Chamber or watch the seating live on NBC-TV.
I thank you for your kind attention” -42- 4.0 MESSAGE FROM THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY The Chairperson announced that she received the following official communication from the National Assembly that: the National Assembly has passed and referred the following Bills to the National Council for review in accordance with Article 75(1) of the Namibian Constitution: Property Valuers Profession Amendment Bill [B.18 – 2017] The Chairperson then called upon the Secretary to read the Bill a First Time.
The Secretary read the Bill a First Time.

The Bill stood referred to a Second Reading.

5.0 CONGRATULATORY NOTE FOR THE HON.

CHAIRPERSON Honourable Chief Whip, Honourable Members, On behalf of the National Council, I rise to congratulate Hon.

Margaret Mensah- Williams, the Chairperson of the National Council on her two recent international achievements.

The Merck Foundation recently awarded Hon.

Mensah-Williams as Ambassador for the ‘Merck More Than a Mother’ campaign in Namibia.
She joins more than five of Africa's First Ladies who were also awarded the same ambassadorship roles in their respective countries.

The Merck Group from Germany launched the Merck Foundation in June this year as a non-profit charity organization with the aim of improving the health and well-being of people through science and technology.

The Merck More Than a Mother campaign is one of the Foundation’s multiple interventions.

It has the following objectives: 1.


Create a cultural shift towards de-stigmatisation of infertility towards respect and appreciation of infertile women in Africa; -43- 2.

Raise awareness about infertility prevention and management, including male infertility, by integrating it into already existing national healthcare infrastructure; 3.

Educate and train African embryologists in order to address the lack of trained and skilled staff; 4.
Support policymakers to define policies to improve access to regulated fertility care.

CONGRATULATIONS HONOURABLE CHAIRPERSON!!

You have our full support.

Honourable Chief Whip, Honourable Members, I am honoured also to announce that Hon.

Mensah-Williams was recently elected Vice-President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s (IPU) Working Group on Syria.
The working group was created to implement a ‘working plan’ aimed at exploring appropriate and practical measures to be undertaken by the global parliamentary community to advance an inclusive and comprehensive political settlement of the war in Syria.

The working group is made up of six members of the IPU Executive Committee - to which Hon.

Mensah-Williams is a member - and one representative from each of the world’s six geopolitical groups.
6.0 ANNOUNCEMENT BY HONOURABLE BERNARD SIBALATANI, MP, VICE- CHAIRPERSON OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL AND COORDINATOR OF COMMITTEES Honourable Chairperson, Honourable Members, I have taken note of the fact that our Standing Committees have been very active since the last session in August 2017.
Amongst others our Standing Committees have conducted public hearings on the motions referred by the House, undertook oversight visits to MTEF projects, benchmarked with other Parliaments, and attended workshops and seminars to enhance the capacity of Members.

This may very well be our last Session for the 2017 Calendar Year.
-44- I further take note of the fact that the Committee Clerks have prepared draft Reports and circulated the same to Committee Members for consideration and adoption by the various Standing Committees.

In that regard, as Coordinator of Committees, I implore the Committee Chairpersons to help me adhere to Rule 16(f) of our Standing Rules and Orders.
This Rule provides that I shall “monitor that all Committee reports are tabled within 30 days after the completion of the activity undertaken or at the next Session”.

In the spirit of this Rule may I request that all Committee Chairpersons convene meetings of their respective Committees, between today and Thursday, with the purpose of discussing and adopting the Reports so that the same will be ready for tabling and motivation on or before Monday, 27 November 2017.
Therefore, all Committee Chairpersons are advised to give Notices of Motions as of tomorrow, Wednesday, 22 November 2017 for the tabling and motivation of the reports on Monday, 27 November 2017 as I just indicated.

I am confident that I can count on your mutual understanding and cooperation.

I thank you.

7.0 Hon.

Tobias, seconded by Hon.

Kaula, adjourned the Council at 10h00 until Wednesday, November 22, 2017 at 09:30.
Emilia Mkusa Secretary of the National Council ______________________________________________ -45-